Percutaneous Mitral valve treatment (Mitraclip®)
This treatment allows a severely leaking mitral valve to be treated via the artery in your groin. This treatment can only be used for certain forms of mitral valve disease.
Six approved centres
The UZ Brussel Centre for Cardiovascular Diseases is one of the six approved centres in Belgium where the Mitraclip® procedure can be carried out. It is the coordinating centre of a network which includes six other B3 cardiac surgery centres.
Before your treatment
- The treatment and the possible associated risks will be discussed with you and your family beforehand.
- A number of preparatory tests which are carried out in hospital will be arranged to find out whether the procedure is feasible and decide what size of heart valve to use. A group of specialists called the heart team will decide whether or not you are eligible after carefully discussing the results. The following tests will be arranged:
- Certain medications have to be stopped temporarily. This will be discussed in detail beforehand with the doctor providing your treatment.
- In some cases you will be admitted to hospital about two days before the treatment for additional treatment to remove fluid.
- You must not eat or drink anything before you are admitted to hospital.
The treatment
- You will be given a general anaesthetic.
- Via the artery in your groin a special catheter will be inserted as far as the leaking mitral valve.
- There, one or more clips (small clothes pegs) will be applied to draw together the two edges of the mitral valve leaflets, considerably reducing the size of the leak.
- You will be admitted to hospital for 3 to 5 days.
After the treatment
- For three days after the treatment you must not have a bath, lift heavy items or ride a bicycle. You can have a shower. This is to allow the puncture site in your groin to heal properly.
- For three months after the treatment you must take extra platelet inhibitors.